


Keep Me From Going Under

by JayTyHeyBye



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: 2x06, Angst, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Jarchie - Freeform, Jughead Jones Needs a Hug, M/M, Panic Attacks, Pop Tate's Clocklit Shoppe, Protective Archie Andrews, takes place during the raid on Southside High
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-22 05:24:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13160178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayTyHeyBye/pseuds/JayTyHeyBye
Summary: Takes place during the raid on Southside High.What happens during the car ride to Pop's, after Archie rescues Jughead from the drug raid?





	Keep Me From Going Under

Jughead’s heart had leapt into his chest at the sudden text he received from Archie. Archie rarely ever texted in all caps, so Jug knew that it was urgent. The last time Archie had sent him a text with this level of urgency to it, the redheaded boy was outside his trailer door at 4am, sobbing and hyperventilating because of a panic induced nightmare. Jughead wasn’t shocked that Archie had nightmares, after everything the boy had gone through he was just amazed Archie hadn’t had a full blown breakdown yet. 

They had found comfort in each other. After everything that had happened with Jason and now with this Black Hood bullshit, they had always had each other. They had images to maintain, obviously, and if they were to tell the world of their relationship, Riverdale would tear them apart piece by piece until there was nothing left. 

So that left them with quiet meetings, hushed whispers, hands brushing underneath a table at Pop’s. They only had their shared smiles, and those few moments when they were alone long enough to steal a kiss or a quiet “I love you.” 

It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough for Jughead. It was enough for Archie. However, if either Betty or Veronica were to ever find out, Jughead didn’t think he’d be able to forgive himself. 

Jughead stood in front of some random locker, holding his phone tightly as he began to formulate some kind of a reply. 

“Jug? Jug!” 

He heard Archie before he saw him. His phone was quickly being stuffed in his pocket and when Jughead looked up, he could see the pure panic in Archie’s eyes. The poor boy was shaking as he reached out and grasped the front of Jughead’s jacket, trying to pull him down the hallway.

“We gotta go!”

“What the hell are you doing here? Did Betty send you to throw more salt in the wound?” Normally Archie would have at least cracked a smile at the joke, but Archie didn’t even seem to hear it. Damn, this must really be serious. Jughead reached out to grab Archie’s arms.

“Mayor McCoy is about to raid Southside High! We’ve got to get you out of here right now-”

Archie didn’t have time to finish and Jughead didn’t have time to react. The doors burst open and in barged Sheriff Keller and Mayor McCoy, accompanied by police officers and hounds to sniff out any drugs lurking around. Jughead’s eyes widened in shock, but he finally allowed his legs to move and for Archie to start dragging him down the hallway and towards the exit. 

It was only when they got somewhat close to the doors that Jug spared a moment to look back. He saw Toni making a beeline down the hallway towards them, her usually courageous eyes flashing with a temporary terror.

“Toni!” Jughead tore himself out of Archie’s grasp, turning himself around to race down the hallway. They were his friends that were being rounded up, he couldn’t just run! There was a familiar anxiety pooling in his chest and his head was beginning to pound. His legs felt like jelly and everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. It was only when Archie’s arms wrapped around him and began to tug him backwards, that he snapped out of his trance.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey! You wanna help her? You can’t do that from behind bars! C’mon!”

Archie’s voice was demanding, yet there was a hint of sympathy to it. Jughead only watched long enough to see Sweet Pea being slammed up against the locker and Toni being handcuffed, before he reluctantly followed Archie down the steps and out to the student parking lot. The duo pilled into Archie’s truck, and Jughead glanced down to see his hands trembling.

Archie must have noticed too, but there was no time to do anything. The key was suddenly in the ignition and the truck roared to life. Archie wasted no time pulling out of the parking lot and making a sharp turn onto the road, barreling down the empty street until he was sure he was far away enough. When he was certain they were far enough from the current hellhole that was Southside High, the redhead slowed down to a reasonable speed and looked over at his boyfriend.

Any colour that Jughead had had on his face was gone. There were tears pricking the corners of his eyes and every time the boy tried to take a breath, it sounded raspy and forced. His entire body shook violently, and Archie could feel his heart shattering in his chest. He was pulling over before he knew it, parking the car. He unbuckled his seatbelt (he didn’t remember putting it on in the first place, truthfully) and reached over to Jughead, grasping one of his hands. Archie’s other hand reached up to cup Jughead’s cheek, tilting his head around until the two teens made eye contact.

“You’re okay, Juggie. Everyone is going to be okay. I’m right here, see? Breathe with me, Jug.” 

Archie took a slow, steady breath in the hopes that Jughead would copy him. The raven haired boy did, but on the exhale, his breath was accompanied with a shaky sob. Archie brought Jughead’s hand forward to rest it on his own chest, just above his heart. The hand previously resting on Jughead’s cheek reached around and came to lay on the back of Jug’s head, pulling him forward until they bumped their forehead’s together.

“Focus on my heartbeat, Juggie, and breathe with me. I know you’re scared. We’ll figure this out together, okay? Just like we always do.”

It took upwards of twenty minutes, but eventually the tears had stopped and shallow breaths had evened out into slow, calmer ones. Jughead had taken his hat off at some point so Archie could tangle his fingers in his hair, and the two were now loosely holding hands. Jughead had his eyes closed, but they opened when he felt Archie shift enough to kiss him on the cheek.

“Let’s go to Pop’s, okay? We’ll get some food and talk this out. Are you alright?”

They finally broke apart and Archie had to bite back a grimace. Leaning over from the drivers seat for that long wasn’t exactly comfortable. He untangled his fingers from Jughead’s hair and he saw the other slowly beginning to nod, reaching up to rub any remaining tears away from his eyes. Archie grabbed the abandoned beanie off of Jughead’s lap and leaned back over, placing it back on the other boy’s head with such care that it made Jughead give a breathy laugh. Jughead’s green eyes locked with Archie’s brown ones, and in the time it took to blink Jughead was leaning in and pressing another light, thought out kiss to Archie’s lips. The other was quick to return it, though Archie was unable to hide the small smile forming as they pulled back. 

Any little bit of affection they could give was greatly appreciated, it was rare that they got these quiet moments just the two of them nowadays. 

Jughead took another deep breath, sitting back in his seat and fixing his jacket. “Let’s go to Pop’s.”

 

It didn’t take long before the pair were sitting in the diner. Well, Archie was sitting. Jughead was up and pacing. Archie had ordered them lunch, but Jug’s panic had dissolved into pure anger. Not to mention that Archie couldn’t comfort Jughead the way he wanted to anymore, they were now in public for all to see. 

“Jughead, calm down.” He tried, keeping his voice soft and steady for the other to listen to.

The other boy spun around to face him, cheeks flushed in frustration.

“Calm down?! Archie, Riverdale just became a police state!” His voice wavered, and Archie’s heart squeezed painfully in his chest. 

“McCoy’s convinced the Serpents are the ones dealing Jingle Jangle.” Archie tried to explain, letting out a quiet breath of relief when he noticed Jughead had stopped pacing. Jug simply stood there, watching him. He was still livid, but it was obvious he was calming down slowly. 

“Serpents don’t deal that stuff! The Ghoulies do!” Jughead leaned against the table, whispering through gritted teeth as his fists clenched. 

“So tell Mayor McCoy that!” Archie wished it could be that simple, he really did. 

“Mayor McCoy?” Jughead finally sat down, and Archie leaned back in his seat. “The Mayor McCoy that just arrested all my friends for no reason? What do you care anyway, man? I thought you and Betty wanted nothing to do with me. Right?”

Archie had to admit, that fucking stung. He knew Jughead only brought it up to appease the waitress passing them by, but it still hurt. Jug’s eyes flashed with something that almost seemed like an apology, and all Archie could do was reach out and put his hands on top of Jughead’s. The other teen looked shocked, but he was quick to intertwine their fingers and give Archie’s hands a squeeze. 

“Look, I’m sorry about what happened, and how it happened, and as for Betty... you should maybe talk to her.” Archie rubbed his thumb over Jughead’s knuckles, and he saw a gentle blush rising up on Jug’s cheeks. Jughead was so touch starved, Archie never failed to notice whenever Jug would lean into the embraces, or hold Archie’s hand just a little too tight, as if he was worried Archie would let go and leave him behind. 

They fell into a comfortable silence. It was comfortable, that was, until Jughead’s phone screen was brought to life and a familiar ding came from it’s speaker. Jughead let go of Archie’s hands in order to pick up his phone. Green eyes scanned the screen, and Jughead’s face fell once the words registered. 

“I gotta go. Tallboy wants to parle.” He muttered, stuffing the device into his pocket as he rose to his feet. He began to walk passed Archie and towards the door, but Archie was quick to reach out and grab his hand. 

They now stood directly in front of each other, and Archie took a deep breath. Jughead didn’t speak, simply staring at Archie quizzically, as if analyzing what his next move might be. The redhead leaned in and pressed a loving kiss to Jughead’s lips, one that he instantly returned. It was risky, he knew it was, but they both needed that little bit of reassurance. It was only when Archie pulled back that he gave Jug’s hands one last squeeze before releasing it.

“Juggie?”

“Y-Yeah, Arch?”

“Please be careful. Text me when you get home, let me know how it went.” 

Jughead began to nod, reaching out to tuck a strand of Archie’s hair behind his ear. He eventually found enough courage to turn around and leave Pop’s, leaving Archie standing there by their table. 

Archie sat back down, letting his head rest in his hands as he processed the whole situation. Jughead could have gotten arrested today. If Archie hadn’t come... he didn’t want to think what might have happened. 

He lifted his head when he heard Pop Tate clear his throat, and Archie gave the man a small smile as Pop handed him his food. A tray of cheese fries and a Chocolate milkshake.

“Thanks, Pop. How much do I owe you?” He began to dig through his pockets for his wallet, but Pop’s hand on his shoulder had him hesitating. 

“It’s on the house today, Archie. It’s refreshing to know that even in the middle of all this misery, there’s still some people in this town that can hold onto their hope. Even in the darkest of times, you and Jughead can still find light in one another.” Pop released his grip on Archie’s shoulder and left his side, leaving Archie alone once again. 

The more he thought about it, Pop was right. Jughead kept his head from going under whenever things got too overwhelming. Jughead had the power to ground him and make everything terrible around them seem like it was nothing. 

In the moments where there seemed to be no chance of salvation, in the moments where the darkness that surrounded them threatened to take over and consume him, Jughead was that little beacon of light that Archie could hold onto, without fear of losing himself in the process. 

He just wished the world had the same view that Pop Tate did. One day, they might, if they were lucky. Maybe, just maybe they’d make it through this, and maybe, they could truly find that much needed salvation in each other.

**Author's Note:**

> Fuck man I love Jarchie


End file.
